HT Explains: The reason behind PM Modi’s cabinet reshuffle

Prime Minister Narendra Modi rejigged his council of ministers on Tuesday, drafting in 19 new members while dropping five and promoting one in an exercise aimed at helping the government improve administrative efficiency and speed up efforts to boost growth. At least seven of the new ministers are from states going to elections next year and five from the Dalit community, part of the BJP's broader plan to appeal to the scheduled castes in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab. All three states vote next year and have a substantial population of scheduled castes that has traditionally stayed away from the BJP. The reshuffle was the second by the two-year-old government of Modi who has said the rejig would help push the priorities identified in the 2016-17 national budget.